Advancing mental health equalities in NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression

Reducing health inequalities is a priority for mental health services.

The NHS Talking Therapies programme’s work on advancing mental health equalities forms part of NHS England’s commitment to reduce mental health inequalities, and builds on the wider Advancing mental health equalities strategy, published in October 2020.

This work includes actions to reduce inequalities in access, experience and outcomes for different groups and communities using NHS Talking Therapies services.

How we’re reducing inequalities in NHS Talking Therapies services:

1. Developing and using NHS Talking Therapies positive practice guides (PPG)

NHS Talking Therapies for anxiety and depression PPGs support commissioners and providers improve equity of experience, access and outcomes for specific underrepresented groups. Current guidance is listed below, some of which are currently being refreshed, and additional guides are currently being developed for other underrepresented groups:

2. Translating resources available for NHS Talking therapies

For low intensity support, practitioners often use step 2 materials to guide patients through self-help. However, these resources were previously only available in English, creating a barrier for patients who speak other languages. In 2022/23, we worked with providers to translate these resources into 10 languages including Arabic, Bengali, Pakistani Punjabi, Persian Farsi, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, Ukrainian and Urdu.

Example resources include:

All resources can be accessed through our Futures webpage: NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression – Futures Collaboration Platform (this platform requires a log in).

3. Improving the quality of outcomes data by ensuring outcome measures are available in multiple languages

Outcome measures have be translated and validated into 18 different languages and can be requested through the NHS England Copyright Licensing Service.

4. Improving outcomes for ethnic minorities

In 2021/22, NHS England  introduced a support metric to reduce the outcomes gap between ‘White British’ and all other ethnicities. This metric is reported through performance dashboards and the programme delivery board on an ongoing basis. This data is also available quarterly and annually in the NHS Talking Therapies publications.

In 2024/25, the recovery rate gap between ‘White British’ and all other ethnicities is 4.3% .

5. Educating and supporting therapists and other staff working in NHS Talking Therapies

Training opportunities are reviewed regularly, to ensure that NHS Talking Therapies clinicians have the skills, knowledge and confidence to advance equalities. In 2022/23, NHS England  revised the core curriculum for high intensity therapists and psychological wellbeing practitioners, to ensure there was a more detailed introduction to equality, diversity, and inclusion. For the existing workforce, there is an ongoing review of national webinars and new training content being designed and developed, to provide clinicians with a better understanding of culturally sensitive and diverse practices in clinical delivery.